Neighbour trying to sabotage house sale- please advise

Idiophreak

Would it be possible to set up a webcam/cctv camera to cover the street. At least then you could see who prospective buyers speak with...

irishcol

Idiophreak wrote: »

Would it be possible to set up a webcam/cctv camera to cover the street. At least then you could see who prospective buyers speak with...

I'm pretty sure you can't set up your own CCTV system to monitor public highways. You would also need to put up signs telling people they were being recorded.

If there is someone watching the street at all times, then I'm sure they would see you putting up the cameras and signs, and compalin about you doing that!

The OP could consider putting a note through all of the neighbour's doors - along the lines of:

"Dear neighbour,
as you are aware, we are in the process of trying to sell our house. We have, unfortunately, had some negative feedback from recent viewings - it has been reported that our neighbours have warned the prospective buyers that the area is not suitable or friendly.

in our X years of living here, we have not encountered any problems with you or our other neighbours. If there is a problem, we would welcome the opportunity to discuss it further.

Kind regards,

Mr and Mrs YYY"

I would maybe consider adding another paragraph, which appeals to the greedy / selfish instinct in a lot of people, saying
"Low house prices, which will inevitably result if we have to further reduce our house in order to sell it, are in no-one's interests. Not only will this make it harder for you to obtain a fair price if you need to move, but it may also lead to an overall reduction in the quality of people living here"

RobertoMoir

duchy wrote: »

That was my first thought when the OP mentioned he looked uncomfortable when questioned ....

My first thought that was maybe the builder didn't like being "questioned". I'm not sure I'd be entirely comfortable in their place, either.

Idiophreak

irishcol wrote: »

I'm pretty sure you can't set up your own CCTV system to monitor public highways. You would also need to put up signs telling people they were being recorded.

I don't know the legal ins and outs of it, but I've seen plenty of stuff on the BBC etc where people have caught things happening in the street (cats in bins, for instance ) on their own CCTV, so it must be possible.

(there was another one a couple of months back with a white van that drove into the back of a parked car)

poppysarah

Of course you can video anything in a public place.

The police camera shows all restrain the angry crims who don't like having a camera pointed at them, pointing out anyone is free to record in a public space.

irishcol

poppysarah wrote: »

Of course you can video anything in a public place.

The police camera shows all restrain the angry crims who don't like having a camera pointed at them, pointing out anyone is free to record in a public space.

I'm no expert, but reading http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/libertycentral/2010/aug/31/householders-cctv-public-highway-film suggests it's a complicated area. If the camera is on your own property and covers the street as well as your house / garden, then it's fine. If you put up cameras to cover the rest of the street, then I would suggest you fall under the DPA.

Regarding the cop cameras, I assume that each "criminal" has the option to request that their face is blanked out, which is done quite often.

ruggedtoast

irishcol wrote: »

I'm no expert, but reading http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/libertycentral/2010/aug/31/householders-cctv-public-highway-film suggests it's a complicated area. If the camera is on your own property and covers the street as well as your house / garden, then it's fine. If you put up cameras to cover the rest of the street, then I would suggest you fall under the DPA.

Regarding the cop cameras, I assume that each "criminal" has the option to request that their face is blanked out, which is done quite often.

From what I have heard, all the aggrieved parties need to do is complain that the cameras are being used to surveil their children and the police tell the owner to take them down in short order.

The fact that the children may be daily smashing someones car to bits doesnt seem to matter as soon as the suggestion of "p a e d o " comes in the equation.

Nevertheless pointing a fixed camera at minors who may be doing nothing, in public spaces for long periods is an iffy area.

I saw one neighbours from hell programme about an old guy who was fearless in documenting the anti social behaviour on his estate with a hand held camera. He literally never left his house without it.

He had all the accusations of "p a e d o" this and that thrown at him, but as the abuse and criminal behaviour he was recording was horrifying, the police, after repeatedly impounding his tapes, eventually agreed he could continue and they had no legal basis to stop him.

Initially they said the evidence was inadmissable as it wasnt taken on his property, but then they changed their minds and said it was. It seems to depend on how they are feeling.

momo_gogo

ooh lots of interesting suggestions to consider :T- will have to respond to them in separately to avoid making another epic length post.

With regard to the option of using CCTV, it would be over shared private driveways. Not sure how that would relate to privacy laws, but I think it would be impractical anyway as I wouldn't be able to see the neighbour I suspect unless I mounted cameras in the shared driveway to our garage. I would really need to hear what was being said as well as if they spoke to more than one person I still might not know for sure.

If I was viewing a house and saw CCTV cameras mounted all over the place it would make me think it was definitely an unsafe area regardless of what anybody said. Unless I can do it really covertly I don't think CCTV would work.

Scotchnan

Just for the duration of the mystery shopper visit ...

Sponge

The DPA does not apply to private households/uses (only commercial uses). Put up as many cameras as you like.

If someone approaches you on the matter, saying, for example, it's covering their property or public areas, tell them it's for domestic security purposes and you're well within your rights to do so.

You do not need to register them with anyone, keep records, or put up any signs.

You can get very discrete cameras for not much money. But obviously things like wireless, night vision, weather-proof, will cost more.